Yesteryear - Feb. 5, 2014

34 YEARS AGO -- Feb. 4-8, 1980

The Camden District Heritage Foundation has kicked off what will be its most energetic fundraising drive since opening Historic Camden in 1970, director of the park, Hope Cooper said.

The main purpose of the drive will be to provide funds for the continuing operation of Historic Camden while awaiting a decision on National Park status, she said.

In calling 1980 a major year for the park, Mrs. Cooper said this year will mark the actual bicentennial of the British occupation of the area. She added that many events will be held for commemoration and fundraising purposes….

Snow! Four inches of it blankets Kershaw County

What had been a calm winter came to an end early this morning when a snow storm hit the midlands, dumping four inches of snow in the Camden area, causing schools to be closed and numerous accidents.

The snow started as early as 2 a.m., but did not amount to anything until almost 4 a.m., when it began sticking to the ground. Within an hour the snow had begun to stick to the roads.

…The forecast called for a tapering off of the snow around midday, with temperatures reaching as high as 40 degrees….

County’s first black church celebrates

Mt. Moriah Baptist, the first black church to be established in Kershaw County, recently celebrated its 114th anniversary.

…Throughout the entire 114 years of its existence, Mt. Moriah has had only seven pastors, one, J. W. Boykin, served for 50 years.

Rev. H. Lloyd Norris, the church’s present pastor, was elected in January.

The history of Mt. Moriah’s colorful beginning has been well preserved. The church’s historian, W. A. Brown and the congregation still has some of the church’s first handwritten minutes.

Michael Sindler reads poetry Sunday

Michael Sindler, local poet, will give a poetry reading at 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, at the Fine Arts Center.

…Creativity in the arts has always been stressed in the Sindler home and Michael has been encouraged to express himself in poetry and also in painting. His father, Alan Sindler, is well-known in Camden as a sculptor and painter.

Michael began writing poetry when he was 10 years old. One of his poems was published in Here’s Quickly, an anthology of student poetry published by the South Carolina Arts Commission….

Local music shop employs Guy Hutchins’ wizardry

Utopia music shop in downtown Camden has added a new attraction to its establishment, 75 year old Guy Hutchins, Sr.

Guided by Hutchins musical wizardry, Utopia is now offering a repair service for instruments, and they couldn’t have found a more adept person to do the job.

Hutchins has been playing with orchestras and conducting bands for most of his life.

He plays all but three instruments, teaches lessons for all but one, and can fix any ever made.

Hutchins said he started tinkering with instruments years ago out of necessity because then most wind instruments were imported and spare parts were scarce.

He said he once lost a screw on one of his clarinets but he replaced it with one he’d made from oak wood.

“It wasn’t anything unusual about that,” he said.

Hutchins said he’d been waiting for Camden to get a music shop and said when Utopia opened, he went in, introduced himself, and they hired him.

“I enjoy working with them, and I wish them success and hope I’ll be part of it,” he said.

Tom Hunter, one of the co-owners of Utopia, said, “We’re very pleased to be associated with such a fine gentleman….”